Welcome to the Boomtown blog. Most posts here are about bookkeeping, QuickBooks, and the parts of running a small business that nobody warned you about. I write for self-employed folks who want their books to make sense without becoming an accountant in the process.
5 Financial Habits That Strengthen Your Small Business
The financial habits that actually strengthen a small business aren't flashy or motivational. Here are five concrete ones that consistently make a difference for the businesses I work with.
Spreadsheets vs QuickBooks: Which Does Your Small Business Actually Need?
Should you track your bookkeeping in a spreadsheet or move to bookkeeping software? An honest comparison, including the situations where each one is genuinely the right call.
How to Actually Take Time Off as a Small Business Owner
Most "self-care for business owners" advice skips the part that actually matters: the financial conditions that make rest possible. Here's what real time off requires, and how your books either support it or quietly prevent it.
When Should You Hire a Bookkeeper for Your Small Business?
Wondering if it's time to hire a bookkeeper? Here are three honest signals worth paying attention to, plus when DIY is still the right call.
How to Calculate ROI for Your Small Business
Return on investment is one of those concepts everyone name-drops, but rarely explains in a way that's useful for a small business. Here's how to calculate it, and when the math is actually worth doing.
How to Set Up QuickBooks Online: A Step-by-Step Guide
You paid for your QuickBooks Online subscription, you logged in, and now you're staring at an empty file. Here's the order I'd set things up in, and what each step actually involves.
How to Track Unpaid Invoices in QuickBooks Online
If you invoice clients, knowing who owes you what (and how long they've owed it) is one of the simpler things QuickBooks can do for you. Here's how to run the report and what to do with what you find.
How to Reconcile Your Bank Accounts in QuickBooks Online
Reconciling your bank accounts in QuickBooks Online is how you know your books actually match reality. Here's how to do it, and what to do if you're months behind.
How to Clean Up Your Chart of Accounts
If you're doing your own bookkeeping, your Chart of Accounts is the foundation everything else rests on. Here's how to set yours up in QuickBooks Online so running a report stops feeling like a chore.